


A Wish to Remember

by Bookaholix



Series: Wishes for Past Lives [1]
Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: F/F, Memory Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 15:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookaholix/pseuds/Bookaholix
Summary: At the end of episode 12, Madoka makes a different wish.
Relationships: Akemi Homura/Kaname Madoka, Miki Sayaka/Sakura Kyouko
Series: Wishes for Past Lives [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2214066
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

Homura stared out from the broken city she called home, and up at the witch, Walpurgisnacht, that had stood between her and the fulfillment of her wish.

'Why...? No matter how many times I try, why can't I beat it?' Homura grunted, her leg crushed beneath the rubble, and she knew that even if she could get it out, from the small pool of blood, it would take magic she didn't have to be able to walk.

Homura struggled to stay awake, knowing sleep meant death, or worse... she reached for her shield to turn back time, then paused.

'If I go back again, I'll only made Madoka's destiny worse. Everything I've done, everything I've tried to do...' Homura let her arm fall, she cried while watching her gem grow quickly darker.

Her eyes finally shut as darkness covered the last of the purple, then froze when someone grabbed her hand.

"That's enough, you've done more than enough Homura." Madoka said softly, smiling sadly at her.

"Madoka..." Homura breathed as the pinkette stood up.

Homura stared up at her, then noticed something white next to her, when she saw Kyubey, she knew what Madoka was doing.

"Madoka...!" Homura cried.

"Homura," Madoka began, turning back to her "I am sorry, but I... want to become a magical girl."

"Madoka! Don't do it!" Homura cried.

"I finally figured out what I want to wish for, I know what I want now more than anything else, and I'm willing to trade my life for it with no regrets." Madoka confessed.

"But you can't! If you do... then everything I fought for... it's all for nothing!" Homura began to cry again.

Madoka crouched down beside her and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... you've been protecting me for a long time, and I'll never forget that, ever." Madoka promised "You're the reason I'm the person I am today."

Homura rested her hand on Madoka's arm.

"I won't ever let your efforts be in vain, I want this, and I know... deep down, that this is what you'll want too." Madoka explained.

Homura's brow creased in confusion

"Madoka...?"

Madoka stood up, Homura whimpering at the loss of contact.

"You are the centre of cosmic destiny, so no matter how enormous your wish, I can guarantee it will come true." Kyubey said.

Madoka smiled down at Homura.

"Good, I imagine it's been a long time, Homura deserves this." Madoka said softly.

Kyubey blinked but didn't ask.

"So, what is the wish that will make you soul gem shine?"

Homura drifted out of consciousness then, much to her annoyance, since despite not wanting Madoka to contract, she was curious about what Madoka was talking about.

Afterward, there was a flash of white, and Homura found herself back in her hospital bed, hair in braids and red glasses on the table next to her.

Only now, unlike every other timeline, the ribbons were red.


	2. Chapter 1

Kyoko woke with a start to the smell of her mother's cooking, her sister still curled against her side, hugging her arm.

"What's... going on?" Kyoko breathed.

"Kyoko, are you awake?" her father asked from the doorway.

"Ah yeah, morning dad." Kyoko gently shook her sister off and stood up.

'My family's supposed to be dead.' Kyoko thought.

"The directors visited last night, things certainly have been looking a lot better lately," her father said, resting a warm hand on her long red hair.

'Warm...'

"Kyoko? Are you okay?" her father asked worriedly.

Kyoko blinked and smiled brightly.

"I'm good, still half asleep I guess," Kyoko laughed.

Her father chuckled.

"Well, you're going to be late for school." he said.

"School?" Kyoko repeated.

Her father stared at her curiously.

"The directors are paying for your schooling, and you insisted on going to that one in Mitakihara, remember?"

Kyoko rubbed her face.

"I... yeah, must've been my dream, it was so real." she murmured.

Her father tilted his head, interested.

"God had given us a miracle, and you..." Kyoko swollowed hard "You..." she shook her head and went back to her room

"Kyoko!" her father called, chasing after her.

"It's okay, it was just so real, besides that won't ever happen, why would we need a miracle when we're so happy?" Kyoko asked.

Her father smiled, satisfied with her dodge, he didn't need to know he'd commited a murder/suicide just because she'd accepted it.

"Now where did I put it..." Kyoko muttered as she went through her drawers, she found a neat pile of clothes with her ribbon and hairpin sat on top.

"Dad, what's today's date?" Kyoko asked suddenly.

Her father blinked in confusion.

"First of April," Kyoko nodded absently.

"Thanks." she muttered.

Her father left and she quickly got changed.

"Mami!" Kyoko called telepathically, if her family was alive, that should mean she and Mami were still friends.

"Kyoko...?" Mami's voice, even through telepathy, sounded shaken.

"Let's meet up, there's something I need to tell you." Kyoko sent.

"And I you." was all Mami said.

* * *

Kyoko's father ended up walking her to school, wanting to show her the route, while also having business in Mitakihara.

"So, you said Mami goes to this school?" her father asked.

Kyoko nodded.

"She's a year above me though, so it's not like we'll be in the same class." Kyoko grumbled, admittedly upset about that.

Her father just smiled.

"Well, make sure you make lots of friends, I'll be expecting you to bring a few home for dinner this weekend." her father ordered.

Kyoko blinked in surprise.

"Does Mami count?" Kyoko asked hopefully.

"Mami's always welcome, but I'd like to see some new friends." he answered sternly.

Kyoko turned away, grumbling about him 'asking the impossible', when she spotted a few familiar girls.

"Do you know them?" her father asked, following her gaze.

"I've... seen them around." Kyoko answered hesitantly.

"Then go talk to them." her father said, nudging her in their direction.

"Dad!" Kyoko snapped.

"You've barely any friends Kyoko," he pointed out.

"I talk to people after your sermons." Kyoko said defensively.

"Your age? And you keep in touch?"

Kyoko sulked and spared the girls a glance.

"Fine!" Kyoko sighed, throwing her hands in the air and walking over to them.

"See you after school." her father called after her.

* * *

Sayaka had woken to the lingering memories of warm red and the sound of a violin playing something she'd never heard before, as she got dressed for school, she hummed the tune, it was deep, depressing, and sounded like something played in an opera.

"What are you humming Sayaka?" Madoka asked as the bluenette arrived at their meeting place.

"Hm? Dunno, it's been stuck in my head all morning." Sayaka answered.

"It's... kinda creepy." the pinkette admitted.

"Sorry, I'll try to stop." Sayaka promised.

"Did you know we're getting a new student in our class today?" Madoka asked.

Sayaka hummed.

"Hitomi told me, some girl from Tokyo, right?" Sayaka asked.

Madoka nodded.

"Apparently she had a heart condition, so she's been in the hospital for the past few months." Madoka explained.

"Wonder what she's like." Sayaka said "Oh! We're getting another student as well, someone from Kazamino, I think?"

"Yeah," Madoka agreed.

"Hey, mind if I walk with you? My dad's been bugging me about making friends." a girl asked.

The two turned and saw a red haired girl wearing their uniform.

"Sure." Madoka was quick to agree.

"Are you a ninth grader?" Sayaka asked "I've never seen you at school before."

"Nah, it's my first day." the girl answered.

"Oh! You must be that girl from Kazamino!" Madoka cried.

The red head blinked.

"Yep, I'm Kyoko Sakura." she said, sticking a hand out.

Sayaka could see her holding something, and took her hand.

"I'm Sayaka, and this is Madoka." Sayaka introduced.

When Sayaka pulled away, she was holding a hairclip.

"Wow..." she breathed.

It was a gold hairclip in the shape of a fortissimo, when she looked, Kyoko was rubbing her neck sheepishly.

"I found it outside my house, when I saw you I figured it'd suit you better." Kyoko admitted "I can give it to someone else if you don't want it?"

"No!" Sayaka cried, holding it close "It's great, thanks um, Kyoko."

"S-Sure, look, I know I said I'd walk with you, but I gotta go." Kyoko ran off, her face bright red.

"That was nice of her." Madoka said, voice distant.

When Sayaka turned, Madoka was staring after the red head with an odd look, like she knew something Sayaka didn't.

"Yeah..." Sayaka agreed, sending the pinkette a weird look.

"We should go, we're going to be late." Madoka said, quickly running on ahead.

"Ah! Wait up Madoka!" Sayaka called, chasing after her.


	3. Chapter 2

Homura walked into the classroom, usually with a stride that, from what she'd heard, gave her a mysterious, yet cool vibe (or 'moe' according to Sayaka), but today she was tense, it reminded her of her back when she was still human, when she fidgeted and stumbled over her words.

Waking up wearing Madoka's ribbons had been too big of a scare for her though, so she'd left the ribbons and glasses, something she didn't do very often.

What had surprised her was when Kyoko entered the class before her, usually she was the only transfer student, but there was definitely something different about this timeline.

"I'm Homura Akemi, I'm very pleased to meet you." Homura said to the class.

As Ms. Saotome spoke, Homura glanced around the room, praying to whatever god was listening that Madoka was there, and sure enough, there sat the pinkette, smile wide and eyes gleaming with excitement, and... wearing her purple ribbons.

'That's new.' she thought, finding the change cute.

It was better than that one time when she lost her ribbons and came to school in yellow ribbons, Homura had hated them so much she'd gone and bought Madoka a new pair during lunch break just so she'd get rid of them.

When instructed, she went to her seat and Ms. Saotome began the lesson, she wondered if Madoka would mind her keeping the ribbons for a few days... or weeks.

"Homura?" a familiar voice filled her head, and she had to resist the urge to jump, not needing the class to see how tense she still was.

Homura peeked over her shoulder.

"Madoka? How are you using telepathy?" Homura asked.

"My wish, remember?"

Homura's blood ran cold, she eyed the clock and raised a hand.

"Excuse me, may I go to the nurse's office?" Homura asked.

Ms. Saotome blinked.

"Are you feeling sick?" she asked.

"A little, I forgot to take my medicine earlier and I think it's caught up." Homura gave a sheepish smile.

"Alright, Madoka?" Ms. Saotome turned to the pinkette.

"On it!" Madoka saluted.

She stood up and bee-lined to Homura's desk, where she then led her out the door.

"You should stop walking ahead Homura, people will think I'm the new student." Madoka joked.

Homura spun on her heel and grabbed Madoka left hand.

"You're not a magical girl, are you?" Homura demanded, looking for the tell-tale ring and pink mark on her nail, but thankfully it wasn't there.

"No Homura, do you remember my wish?" Madoka asked, again.

Homura shook her head, confused.

"You've... not made a contract in this timeline?" Homura asked.

"During Walpurgisnacht, when I made my wish?" Madoka prodded, ignoring the silly question.

"I fell asleep right as Kyubey asked." Homura admitted.

Madoka hummed and continued walking.

"What was your wish?" Homura asked.

"I didn't want to see you cry like that, you were alone, suffering because of your wish, then you were planning on giving up..." Madoka trailed off, sending Homura her best attempt at a glare.

"I asked Kyubey once if it was okay for Mami to die, and Sayaka to suffer, for something you were fighting to prevent." Madoka began.

Homura's eyes widened.

"Kyubey doesn't have emotions, so he said yes, then made me see all these horrible things, I could've done this for all magical girls, but I wanted something I'd never regret," Madoka's gaze softened "What if Mami wished to save everyone in that accident? And Kyoko's family hadn't died?" Madoka turned with a bright smile "Sayaka never forgot the real reason for becoming a magical girl?"

"Homura, you had something you truly wanted, and I made you forget that." Madoka's face fell "I'm so sorry, you only wanted to be happy."

"But if doing this--!" Madoka cut Homura off.

"Kyoko told me it's okay to want something out of your wish, it's your miracle so be as selfish as you want," Madoka smiled sheepishly "Mami said to think carefully, and Sayaka said to make sure I'd never have any regrets."

"And you don't?" Homura asked hopefully.

"No, I don't." Madoka answered without hesitation.

Homura bit her lip.

"Tell me, Madoka," Homura ordered "What was your wish?"

"I wanted a world where we could all be happy," Madoka took a deep breath "And my wish was to ensure that nothing stood in the way, even if it meant changing history, or obtaining the memories from every timeline."

Homura eyes widened in shock.

"You... wished to remember everything?"

"Not just me," Madoka smiled brightly "Mami, Sayaka and Kyoko as well."

"We'll remember everything from now on, no matter how many times you turn back." Madoka spun on her heel and walked away, leaving a dumbstruck Homura behind to wrap her head around everything Madoka said and catch up.


	4. Chapter 3

"Hey Sayaka, Kyoko?" Madoka said as soon as lunch break began.

The two girls looked up in sync, something that the pinkette tried in vain to keep from laughing at.

"Do you want to have lunch together?" Madoka asked.

"Ah, there's someone in the ninth grade I was gonna eat with." Kyoko said, only to receive an elbow to the rib.

"She can come too!" Madoka chirped, running off to ask Homura, before Kyoko could ask how Madoka knew they were a girl.

"She's been acting funny all day." Sayaka explained when she saw the look on Kyoko's face.

"Kinda suspicious, if you ask me." Kyoko said, eyes narrowed.

Sayaka just shrugged and went over to Madoka and Homura, humming something vaguely familiar.

\----

"So, you wanted to talk?" Mami asked as she sat down with Kyoko.

Madoka and Homura were talking about school, while Sayaka tried in vain to join the conversation.

"Yeah, I know it sounds kinda crazy, but I've got this feeling that my family should be dead." Kyoko explained.

Mami's eyes widened.

"I had a dream that they died over a year ago when my dad found out I was a magical girl." Kyoko continued.

"It doesn't sound crazy, I had a simular dream," Mami confessed "My family died in a traffic accident two years ago, and I made a wish to save myself rather than them..."

"Hey! Why so depressed?" Sayaka asked brightly, having given up on Madoka and Homura and deciding to talk to them instead.

"We were just talking about our dreams from last night." Mami explained.

"Ah, I don't remember much, just this tune I keep humming." Sayaka admitted, rubbing her neck, as though ashamed by that.

"Is that what you were humming before?" Kyoko asked.

Sayaka nodded and began humming it again.

"It sounds vaguely familiar." Mami said with a look as though she was trying to remember something.

Then, Mami remembered something she knew she couldn't before.

  
A red theatre, with a band made of water playing, loudly.

Everyone was there except Sayaka, and they were all fighting the familiars of a giant mermaid in armor.

"Sayaka! I know you never wanted to hurt anyone! You said you wanted to be a hero! Remember?! Please Sayaka! Turn back to your old self!"

Giant wooden wheels, Cartwheels, came flying at Madoka, then, everything exploded and they were all at the train station.

"Dammit, Sayaka..." Kyoko slammed her fist into the railings as she held back tears.

Madoka sat on the floor, hunched over as she caught her tears in waiting hands.

"This isn't right! It's awful...!"

Then Kyoko's soul gem exploded, and the red head fell to the ground, Homura was tied up in familiar ribbons, looking at Mami as though she'd gone crazy, and she knew... she had...

  
Mami came to with a start, wide tear filled eyes staring at Kyoko and Sayaka.

"W-What was that...?" she whispered.

"What happened Mami?" Sayaka asked worriedly.

"Y-You were a witch!" Mami cried, drawing Madoka and Homura's attention "I went crazy and killed Kyoko... then I was going to kill Homura..." Mami shot Homura an apologetic glance, then Kyoko a look of guilt.

"What else happened?" Madoka asked in a rare, serious tone.

"You were about to be attacked by giant wheels, then everything exploded," Mami explained.

"Exploded?" Homura repeated, exchanging glances with Madoka.

Mami nodded.

"What about the other part?" Sayaka prodded.

"Ah, that's all I remember." Mami admitted.

"Hm..." Madoka began eating again, though now lost in thought.

"What is it Madoka?" Sayaka asked, knowing she knew something.

"Well, it's a long story," Madoka said hesitantly.

"Tell us." Kyoko ordered, realising the same thing Sayaka had.

"Please, Madoka." Mami begged.

Madoka bit her lip, wondering where to even start.

"Homura's a time traveller," Madoka began, realising they'd need to know that before anything else.

"Well, that makes sense," Kyoko shrugged, leaning back on her arms and staring at the dark haired girl.

"How so?" Mami asked.

"I don't know about you guys," Kyoko began "But we woke up and our entire life had done a 180, yesterday there was a storm, and today's sunny, on top of that, I remember my parents died a year ago, and you died a few weeks... ago..." Kyoko trailed off, then spun on Sayaka "You died about a week ago!"

Sayaka recoiled in shock while Madoka stood up.

"Kyoko, it's all right, all those memories are real, but it didn't happen yesterday," Madoka explained "None of that has happened yet."

"Clearly." Kyoko said flatly, earning a slap from Sayaka, and a glare from Mami.

"We have ground rules." Homura announced suddenly, standing up too "Sayaka Miki is forbidden to make a contract, in one week there will be a witch at the hospital, Mami Tomoe will die if she enters it's barrier."

"W-Whoa..." Sayaka breathed.

"Anything else...?" Mami asked nervously.

"To be decided." Homura said, then sat back down.

"Homura..." Madoka stared at her like she was trying not to smile.

"So, that can't be it Madoka, it explains a lot, but..." Mami trailed off expectantly, Kyoko and Sayaka giving her the same look.

Madoka knew something, and they knew that.

"In the last timeline, I made a wish..." Madoka began softly.

"Did that leak into this one or something?" Kyoko asked.

"Sorta, I wish for everyone to be happy," Madoka paused to gesture at them all "Kyubey said I've got a lot of potential,"

"But all you did was save Kyoko and my family." Mami pointed out.

Madoka shook her head.

"I did, but there's something else..." Madoka trailed, waiting to see if anyone could guess "Homura time travelled a lot, Mami remembers something that hasn't happened, and Sayaka's been... well," Madoka glanced hesitantly at Sayaka, who tilted her head curiously "Sayaka remembers something from her..." Madoka swollowed, not able to say it.

"Sayaka Miki remembers something from her witch barrier, is what Madoka means." Homura said flatly.

"I... what?" If Sayaka had been standing, her legs would've given out then, Sayaka stared down at her lunch box with wide eyes.

"Sing it for us, Sayaka Miki." Homura ordered, rather coldly.

Kyoko lifted her hand, about to summon and spear, Mami doing the same, only to freeze when Sayaka began to hum a familiar, albeit shaky, tune.

"Oh god, Kyoko..." Sayaka breathed, face in her hands.

"What?" the red head asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"I'm so stupid..." she mumbled, and Kyoko suddenly remembered a train station at the dead of night, Sayaka's tear stained face just before she became a witch.

"Sayaka..." Kyoko breathed, wrapping her in a hug and whispering something to her, Sayaka tensed, but didn't pull away, nodding into Kyoko's shoulder.

"If you're done, Madoka had more to say." Homura interrupted.

"Homura!" Madoka snapped.

"Madoka, lunch will be over soon." Homura pointed out.

Madoka just nodded and turned back to the group.

"I should keep it short then, for now." Madoka began.

"Alright, future you made a contract," Kyoko said, as though summarising from where they were.

"When Homura turned back time, it brought Kyoko and my family back to life," Mami continued.

"It made sure they didn't die to begin with." Madoka corrected.

"So Mami's wish changed?" Sayaka asked, glancing between Madoka and Mami in surprise.

"Seems like," Kyoko shrugged "Wait, wouldn't that mean Mami's powers changed?"

"She should have healing powers now." Madoka explained.

Mami stared down at her hands in wonder.

"Continue." Homura ordered.

"I, uh... Isn't that it?" Sayaka asked.

"No, if Kyubey granted Madoka's wish, you should have memories from every timeline." Homura explained.

"It's pretty slow then." Kyoko said rudely.

"Well, there's a lot, and it's only been a few hours." Madoka pointed out.

"It would cause unnecessary problems if you obtained all your memories at once." Homura explained.

"What about you then?" Sayaka asked, turning to Madoka "It's your wish, how much do you remember?"

"A lot of my memories were given to me when I made the contract, but not that much." Madoka answered.

"We should go back now," Mami began, standing up and stretching "My class is furthest away."

"Let's meet after school!" Sayaka declared, picking up her lunch box and turning to everyone excitedly.

"Won't everything still go like the other timelines?" Kyoko asked.

"Oh yeah, Homura attacks Kyubey, and Mami saves us from a barrier." Sayaka explained.

"Should I attack it then?" Homura asked.

"No, it just makes Kyubey suspicious." Madoka pointed out, then paused when she realised only she and Homura knew that.

"My dad wanted me to make friends, so I guess he'll be okay with it." Kyoko said, folding her arms behind her head.

"What about you Mami?" Sayaka asked.

"I'll have to tell my parents," Mami's eyes softened at the thought "Also, we should get that witch." she added.

"I remember where it is, allow me while you go tell your families." Homura said.

"Settled then! Right Madoka?" Sayaka spun on her heel and threw an arm around her.

"Yep!" Madoka beamed, leaning into the hug, last time she'd seen Sayaka she was dead outside the park, in Kyoko's arms.

"Madoka, shouldn't you call your parents?" Mami asked.

"Alright," Madoka said, pulling away to get her phone out.

"My parents are out of town a lot, so I'm fine!" Sayaka explained.

"Mine as well." Homura added.

"Hey Mami?" Kyoko began as she waited for her father to pick up "How come you're not calling everyone by their last name?"

Mami smiled as she finished messaging her parents and put her phone away.

"I guess, with everything that's happening, it just feels wrong." Mami explained.

Kyoko smiled back with a child-like innocence that made her look years younger than she was.

"Makes sense, feels like everything that's happened this past year just went poof!" she said as her father picked up.

Sayaka stared at the red head in wonder, and remembered all the timelines Kyoko had tried to become friends, but Sayaka hadn't been able to see it until it was too late.

'Well, now all that can change, that's what Madoka wished for after all.'

**Author's Note:**

> The red ribbons aren't meant like the end of the series, Madoka is still very much alive, Homura getting knocked out is less to do with her dying/becoming a witch and more to do with me not knowing how to word Madoka's wish, which'll be explored in the next few chapters. Also this won't be a psedo story.


End file.
